Celebrity chef, actor and restaurateur Matty Matheson is most recognized for playing restaurant mechanic Neil Fak on the critically acclaimed dramedy “The Bear”, and he has also made waves in the local culinary world after building a small restaurant empire in the GTA and surrounding areas, ranging from fast-casual to fine dining.
But many don’t know that Matheson also moonlights as a musician. Before he was famous, Matheson performed in a few hardcore rock bands, including Sex Tears and Broa Constrictor — they occasionally played at the now-defunct Parts & Labour bar-restaurant on Queen St W., where Matheson was the executive chef.
Now, Matheson can add lead vocalist to a new hardcore rock band to his resume after forming “Pig Pen” with singer/guitarist Daniel Romano and the lead guitarist of Alexisonfire, Wade MacNeil!
According to a recent Insta post, Matheson said that a few of his old friends got together a couple years ago and wrote and recorded 10 songs over 2 days.
“we just wanted to hangout and see what’s up. this is our band. we are pigpen.”
Pig Pen’s debut show will take place on April 25 at 7 pm at Sneaky Dee’s (431 College St) at College and Bathurst. Tickets are $22.33/person and are available through Not Dead Yet on the DICE platform (alas, there have been reports that tickets have already sold out, and when you visit the website, you’ll be directed to a wait list).
If you do attend, other hardcore rock bands Best Wishes and Pluto’s Kiss will also be playing that evening!
We’ll also be seeing a lot more of Matheson on screen. Season 4 of “The Bear”, a series for which Matheson won a 2024 Screen Actors Guild Award for most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, is expected to premiere this June.
